ANYTHING L.A. LIBERAL MAGAZINE: FAKE NEWS-FREE, FORWARD THINKING, SOCIALLY SENSITIVE AND CLIMATE CHANGE AWARE. The world maybe in a flux, our Country may have lost its way, Los Angeles continues being true to American / Californian values.

“Summer Night Lights” Kicks Off 10th Year of Providing Fun, Safe Spaces for Young People and Families

Mayor Eric Garcetti kicked off the 10th consecutive year of Summer Night Lights (SNL), a landmark program that keeps parks and recreation centers open late to provide young people and families with safe, fun gathering spaces during the summer months.

Hundreds of Angelenos joined the Mayor, Councilmember Curren Price, police and fire officials, and SNL supporters for the evening celebration at Ross Snyder Recreation Center in South L.A.

“Every family in Los Angeles deserves safe places to spend time together, have fun with their neighbors, find new opportunities and resources, and create strong relationships with the people who serve them,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Summer Night Lights has made all of that possible for countless Angelenos over an incredible decade of success, and created a model for building stronger communities in cities across America.”

SNL is a signature initiative of the Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction & Youth Development (GRYD) — offering free food and activities at 32 City parks, and connecting young people and families with job opportunities and other resources. The program also aims to help reduce crime and violence during the summer months.

In 2007, then-Councilmember Garcetti founded ‘At the Park After Dark’ in response to a fatal shooting near a local park. The following year the program was expanded across the City as Summer Night Lights.

SNL is an essential component of the comprehensive GRYD strategy, which includes gang prevention, gang intervention, violence interruption, community engagement, and juvenile gang reentry programs.

Mayor Garcetti has expanded GRYD services, bringing both prevention and intervention work to every GRYD zone for the first time. A 2016 evaluation report found that 83.4% of GRYD clients decreased their risk of gang joining overall; and a new study by researchers at Cal State L.A. and UCLA found that GRYD intervention work prevented 185 gang-related violent crimes across L.A. over a two-year period — including an estimated 10 fewer homicides,175 fewer aggravated assaults, and 43.2 percent fewer gang retaliations.

Since 2008, there have been more than 5.6 million SNL site visits for activities ranging from healthy cooking classes and sports leagues, to dance and art workshops.

The program works to directly re-invest in Angelenos most affected by unemployment by creating a broad range of local job opportunities. In 2017, SNL will employ over 850 Angelenos of all ages — including 352 young people. Members of the Youth Squad receive training in everything from community organizing and outreach, to how to spot the signs of human trafficking and provide trauma-informed services.

On top of the free meals, entertainment, sports, and art activities, SNL sites will have booths with information on educational and job opportunities for young people, resources for families experiencing domestic violence, and more.

The generous support of foundation and corporate donors pays for about half the program’s cost, demonstrating the effectiveness of the public-private partnership. SNL program partners include LAPD, Department of Recreation and Parks, Department of Cultural Affairs, the Hungry Hog & Starving Steer, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and Los Angeles area professional sports teams, among others.

The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles (MFLA), an organization that brings together private, philanthropic, non-profit, and government resources to sponsor programs, works closely with the GRYD Foundation to partner with private donors for the SNL program. Donors to the 2017 SNL Programming include the Walt Disney Company, the Weingart Foundation, Katie McGrath & the J.J. Abrams Family Foundation, the LA Dodgers Foundation, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, LA84, and the Eisner Foundation.

SNL will run from 7 p.m.-11 p.m., June 28-August 5 and August 11-August 25 at the following locations:

Looking for something?

Anything L.A. on your smartphone

Connect With Anything L.A.

Get Anything L.A. Newsletter!

Cultural Events In L.A.

11 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AREAS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR 2017 OSCARS® The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that 11 distinct scientific and technical investigations have been launched for the 2017 Oscars®. These investigations are made public so individuals and companies with devices or claims of innovation within these areas will have [...]...

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR PAUL RUDNICK’S NEW PLAY “BIG NIGHT” AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE The World Premiere Will Run September 10 Through October 8, 2017 Center Theatre Group has announced the casting for the world premiere of Paul Rudnick’s new play “Big Night.” Directed by Tony winner Walter Bobbie (“Chicago” and [...]...

CENTER THEATRE GROUP PARTNERS WITH EAST WEST PLAYERS ON THE WORLD PREMIERE OF “SOFT POWER” BY DAVID HENRY HWANG AND JEANINE TESORI AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE The Two Organizations Will Hold Four Community Conversations Exploring Themes of this Center Theatre Group Commission Center Theatre Group’s “Soft Power” Begins May 3, 2018 and Runs Through [...]...

CARMEN CUSACK TO REPRISE HER TONY-NOMINATED ROLE IN THE CENTER THEATRE GROUP PRODUCTION OF “BRIGHT STAR” AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE Tickets For The Award-Winning Musical On Sale Now! Which Runs October 11 Through November 19, 2017 Center Theatre Group has announced that Carmen Cusack will reprise her Tony-nominated role as Alice Murphy in [...]...

“Bright Star” Music, Lyrics and Book by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell Choreography by Josh Rhodes Directed by Walter Bobbie Inspired by a real event, this original musical tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ‘40s. Propelled by an [...]...

Saj Bakery is owned end operated by a Lebanese family. The Mediterranean cuisine is Iranian with a Lebanese twist. All food is lovingly prepared from fresh ingredients Saj bread is baked fresh every morning. Saj Bakery’s delicious Manakeesh (Lebanese hot sandwiches) are all natural and baked to order. Beef or Chicken Shawarma is of the [...]...

Valley Palms Care Center treats each patient individually, providing a rehabilitative program that meets their needs. Residents are provided care and services in a comfortable, family-centered environment. Valley Palms is a multi cultural facility. The dedicated staff speaks eight different languages, including Armenian, Russian, Farsi, Arabic, and Hebrew. Among the services provided by Valley Palms [...]...

Los Angeles Health

Eggs of mosquitoes known for carrying the Zika virus (the Aedes mosquito, better known as the Asian tiger mosquito) have been found in Pasadena. (The latest is the second such finding in Greater Los Angeles area, a similar mosquito was identified in Long Beach last month.) Even though no infections have been identified in Pasadena [...]...

Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid already linked to kidney damage, infections and weakened bones is now blamed for causing dementia and early death We’ve been hearing for a while now that heartburn medications have negative side effects. Recently, there have been numerous reports of kidney failure linked to the use of prescription heartburn drugs. Now, [...]...

Patient Transportation Los Angeles – part of Los Angeles Health Directory – provides information and links to Greater Los Angeles non-emergency medical transportation companies. There are various reasons why a patient may need medical transportation. The first one is obvious, it’s a medical emergency and you need an ambulance. In situations like this, calling 911 [...]...